Spray means having flying movement with work



3,280,795 SPRAY MEANS HAVING FLYING MOVEMENT WITH woRK Filed Nov. 21,1962 R. ZIPPERLIN Oct. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 25, 1966 R.zlPPERLlN 3,280,795

SPRAY MEANS HAVING FLYING MOVEMENT WITH WORK Filed Nov. 21, 1962 2sheets-sheet 2 TTS:

: mi J Gm@ 2@ 2@ @@i i@ OS@ @Q ROMAN Z/PPERL//V BY TORNEY United StatesPatent O 3,280,795 SPRAY MEANS HAVING FLYING MOVEMENT WITH WORK RomanZipperlin, Nutley, NJ., assigner, by mesne assignments, to HaroldFrancis Mayer Filed Nov. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 239,291 1 Claim. (Cl.118-313) This invention relates to an apparatus for decorating items ona moving conveyor, and more specifically is directed toward an apparatusfor coating the interior of container-like objects.

In the art of decorating Chistmas balls or other bulblike decorativeitems, many interesting ornamental effects are obtained by coating theinteriors of translucent or semitranslucent items. Heretofore, the costof performing such interior coating has been considerable, because iteither had to be done by hand and, if using production line techniques,required a work stoppage that effected other processing equipmentcapable of performing ywith a continuously moving conveyor. Therefore, aprincipal objective of this invention is in the provision of means forrelating the movement of a decorating means with the movement of acontinuously moving conveyor, carrying the means into balls mounted onthe conveyor, permitting a coating dwell period, and removing the nozzlejust prior to the termination of the related movement.

For additional beauty, it is conventional to coat the exterior ofChristmas balls with a silver nitrate solution prior to coating the ballwith a colored lacquer. A further objective of this invention is in theprovision of means whereby the silver nitrate is quickly and eicientlycoated to the interior of the balls and whereby the same beauteouseffect is retained after the exterior lacquer coating is applied.

Another important objective of this invention is to provide acontinuously moving conveyor, upon which is mounted a plurality ofChristmas tree ornaments, in a predetermined pattern, and providingmeans for simultaneously penetrating the ornaments with a like patternof spray nozzles during a portion of the path of travel of the conveyor.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a framingarrangement for carrying a plurality of decorating nozzles in apredetermined pattern identical to a pattern in which a plurality ofworkpieces are mounted on a moving conveyor, with rst means for causingthe framing structure to move concurrently with the bulbs and a secondmeans to project the decorating nozzles into the workpieces during saidconcurrent movement.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described in which the activating means are simple hydrauliccylinders and the control means are a series of micro switches operablein timed sequence.

A still further objective of the invention is to provide a framework foruse in combination with a constant speed conveyor with .means to attachsaid framework to said conveyor for movement therewith along a selectedpath and further means to move said framework toward said conveyor as ittraverses this selected path.

Another important objective of the invention is to provide an eicientlow-cost means for decorating the interior of Christmas tree bulbs orthe like mounted on a production line conveyor without hindering oreffecting further processes at precedent or subsequent work stations.

These and other important objectives and advantages of the inventionwill be more fully understood upon a reading of the followingspecification taken in View of the attached drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 1 showing theinterior of a spraying nozzle.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings Wherein like elementsare indicated by like numerals, the numeral 8 designates a stationarysupport disposed adjacent and generally parallel to a verticallydirected conveyor 12.

. The support consists of a pair of uprights 9 and 10 and a plurality ofcross bars 11. The conveyor is comprised of two parallel link chains 14,one each of which is disposed opposite an upright. At spaced intervals,the chains carry a series of ball or bulb holding brackets 15, 16, and17 therebetween. As viewed in FIGURE 1, the vertical bulb supportingconveyor 12 is toward the viewer and when viewing FIGURE 2, the conveyoris in the margin. The relationship between support and conveyor can bestbe seen in FIGURE 3.

The ball holding brackets each support approximately twelve bulbretaining grips 2t) thereon. The grips secure the bulbs or workpieces Bwith their respective openings 22 toward the support. Although theconveyor 12 is shown moving vertically, it is to be understood that thedirection of movement can be horizontal or inclined without effectingthe breadth of this invention. In most instances, the conveyor 12 leadsto and from other Work stations, and for purposes of this description aparticular segment of the path of travel of the conveyor will Ibe termedas a decorating path and this segment is indicated by the numeral 24.The conveyor 12 is of an endless variety and is driven by conventionalmeans not considered a part of this invention. The apparatus forsupporting the decoration applying elements are basically divided intorst and second frames. The first frame includes that structure formovably supporting the decorating elements throughout the length of path24. The second frame is a sub-frame including the structure for movablysupporting the decorating elements toward and away from the decoratingpath. The operation of the two frames will be more fully understoodhereinafter where it will be seen that the first frame slidably supportsthe second frame.

The uprights 9 and 10 and the structure supported thereby are, for themost part, the mirror image of each other and, in some instances, onlythe supported structure of upright 10 will be described, and likeelements associated with upright 9 are given identical numbers withprime-marks.

The upright 10 includes an upper arm 26 and a lower arm 28, and upright9 includes a corresponding upper arm 26' and a corresponding lower arm28. Extending horizontally between arms 26 and 26 is an upper shaft 30to which a pair of sprockets 34 and 34 are mounted inwardly of the upperarms. Extending inwardly of lower arm 28 is a sprocket 36, and extendinginwardly of arm 28 is a sprocket 36'. An endless chain 38 meshes Withsprockets 32 and 36 and another chain 38' extends between sprocket 34'and sprocket 36. The sprockets 36 and 36 are respectively secured to theinner ends of stub shafts 40 and 45, which are, in turn, supported bythe lower arms 28 and 28.

A bracket 42 extending between the arms 26 and 28 supports a doubleacting cylinder 44 which has a pair of piston rods 46 and 48 extendingfrom either end thereof. The cylinder body is xedly mounted to bracket42 and the piston rods 46 'and 4S respectively carry a pair of chainlink engaging lugs 50 and 52 at their outer ends. As seen best in FIGURE3, as the piston rods reciprocate an oscillatory movement is engenderedin sprockets 34 and 36.

A pinion S4 is coaxially supported on shaft 30 and, coaxially supportedon shaft 40 is a pinion 56. The pinions are respectively caused to meshwith racks 58 and 60 which at their outer ends carry a pair of blocks 62and 3 64. A connecting shaft 66 extending between blocks 62 and 64carries a reciprocating slide member 68 thereon. Associated with upright9 is an identical slide member 68 carried by la connecting shaft 66. Theother supporting structure for 68 is the same as that provided for thereciprocating movement of slide 68.

Bridging the distance between slide members 68 and 68 are a plurality ofnozzle supporting members 70, 71, and 72. Each of the members carry aplurality of nozzle sprays 73 which in -turn are connected to adecorating substan-ce carrying conduit 74. A-s previously stated, thissubstance is normally silver nitrate.

Each of the slide members 68 and 68 respectively carry hydrauliccylinders 76 and 76 which have plunger arms 78 and 78 extending towardtheir respective link chains 14. The cylinders 76 and 76 are supportedby brackets 79 and 79 which are in turn secured to their respectiveslide members by any conventional means. The cylinders are located atthe outer ends of the middle support bar 71. The plungers are narrowedat their `outer end to enable them to penetrate and slidably engage thespace 80 between adjacent links of chains 14 and 14. As will beunderstood more fully hereinafter, the penetration of the plungers intothe chains causes the slide members 68 and 68 to move with the chainthroughout that segment of travel designated as 24.

The members 15, 16 and 17 each carry an equal number of balls spacedsimilarly to the spacing of the nozzles 73 on their respective supportbars. The members 15, 16 and 17 are three selected supports on a chainwhich carries a great many of such supports.

In operation, the workpieces B are mounted to the grips 20 at aprecedent location and travel toward the path segment 24. The slidemembers 68 and 68 are at their lower positions, and are resting on ornear the upper surfaces of blocks 28 and 28'. Just prior to conveyor 12reaching the position shown in FIGURE 3 a timed micro switch is trippedcausing fluid to enter the cylinders 76 and 76. The plungers 78 and 78'move outwardly and engage their respective chains at spaces 80. Thispenetration lcauses slide members 68 and 68 to travel with the chain andaccurately o-rients the bulb pattern with the nozzle pattern. After fullengagement of the plungers with the conveyor 12, a second micro switchis tripped which causes uid to enter port 88 of the cylinder 44. Pistonrods 48 and 46 and their associated lug members are caused to traveldownwardly to effect a rotation in pinions 54 and S6. This movementcauses the blocks 62, 62', 64, and 64 to move toward the conveyor as itcarries the nozzles therewith. As the nozzles approach the workpiecesthe annular anges 90, on each of the spraying nozzles, contact theperipheries of openings 22 when the tips 82 of the nozzles are properlypositioned within the interior of the bulbs. A further movement of thenozzles causes the decorating substances under pressure in chamber 96(from conduits 95) to reach the interior of the workpieces via an orifce98. As Will be easily understood by those skilled in the art, thespraying nozzles are of simple construction and are urged outwardly to anormally off position by a spring member 100.

As the slide members 68' and 68 approach their upper limit, the timedmicro switch causes uid under pressure to enter port 89 of cylinder 44causing the chain to reverse its direction and withdraw the sprayingnozzles from the workpieces. After such withdrawal the plungers ofcylinders 76 and 76 are withdrawn from the chain. After the plunger iswithdrawn, the slide member returns to its original starting position bygravity. It should be noted that the elongated dimensioning of theplunger is such that in no instance will a rearward movement of theslide members be sufficient to remove the plungers from the chains priorto the removal of the nozzles from the interiors of the workpieces. Theabove described sequence is again repeated when a second series of bulbsupporting bars are juxtaposed in parallel relationship with the slidemembers.

The micro switches for activating the flow of hydraulic fluid are ofconventional timed sequence design. A convenient method of timing suchmicro switches is a rotatable constant speed shaft mounting a pluralityof switch engaging cams.

In a general manner, while there has been disclosed an effective andeicient embodiment of the invention, it should be well understood thatthe invention is not limited to such an embodiment, as there might bechanges made in the arrangement, disposition, and form of the partswithout departing from the principle of the present invention ascomprehended within the scope of the accompanying claim.

I claim:

A machine for moving a plurality of dispensing ends of decoratingnozzles into the interiors -of a like number of bulbs comprising:

a pair of driven parallel link chains having openings along theirlengths,

a bracket extending between said chains and mounting said bulbs formovement with said chains,

a framework supporting said nozzles for movement along a segment oftravel of said chains,

a pair of pointed chain-engaging members carried by said framework, oneeach of which is disposed perpendicular to one each of said chains andsized to =be snugly received by said openings,

means causing said pointed members t0 engage said -chains by penetrating`said openings thereby causing said framework to move with said chainsand means moving said nozzles into said bulbs after said members havepenetrated said chains,

a source of decorative material said nozzles each including valves andsecond means opening said valve to communicate said source with theinterior of said bulbs only when said dispensing ends of said nozzlesare in the interiors of said bulbs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,316,972 4/1942Pond 117-4 2,346,951 4/1944 Temple 118-3 2,597,968 5/1952 Baron 118-2392,646,769 7/1953 Lindsay 118-323 X 2,660,978 12/1953 Dyne et al 118-323X MORRIS KAPLAN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH B. SPENCER, Examiner,

